Celebrating independence

This is a weekend for food, music and showing your patriotism. There are parades, a festival that does New England proud and music in the streets.

Sandra Bradley

This is a weekend for food, music and showing your patriotism. There are parades, a festival that does New England proud and music in the streets.

And of course, there are lots of opportunities to eat, frolic with children and laugh at the foible of aging.

Red, white and green flags herald not an invasion of Italians but the return of the 31st annual strawberry festival in South Berwick, Maine. Saturday will be filled with food, entertainment, games and crafts. Festival activities will take place on the grounds of Central School, 197 Main St. in the center of town.

The menu will feature strawberry shortcake, of course. About 150 volunteers are hulling and slicing them as we speak while others will arrive early tomorrow morning to slice biscuits and make homemade whipped cream. Now that's fresh. Everything will be ready when the fest opens at 9 a.m. But there's more.

A huge food court will serve the strawberry shortcake and cheesecake at $4 each and other items for foodies. The Fire Department will sell hamburgers, hot dogs, fries and cold drinks. The Community Pantry will serve up frozen lemonade. Other communities will offer fried dough, BBQ chicken, teriyaki, nachos and cotton candy.

The day's activities begin at 8 a.m. with a five-mile road race and 2.5-mile fun walk, sponsored by the South Berwick Recreation Department and local businesses. It kicks off from Marshwood Middle School on Academy Street.

Throughout the day, a variety of local entertainers will perform on two stages set up around the grounds. For a full lineup, festival-goers should pick up a schedule when they enter the fairgrounds.

For kids, there will be a climbing wall, pony rides, a giant tiger slide, dunking booths and exotic animals exhibits. However, there will be no fireworks this year.

Old-fashioned trolleys will provide free transportation from parking locations at Marshwood Middle School on Route 236, Community Center on Norton Street, Powder House Hill and Agamenticus Field.

Seacoast Repertory Theatre's Senior Moments, a performing group made up of actors 55 and over, and the Holy Name Society of Hampton is sponsoring a show to show the lighter side to getting older through a series of skits. Optimum Blend, a musical group that specializes in tunes from the 1950s and '60s, will also perform. The show is aimed at seniors but is suitable for all ages.

It will be performed at 1 p.m., Saturday at the Sacred Heart School gym, 289 Lafayette Road, behind OLMM Parish. This is a fund-raiser that will benefit the Sacred Heart School scholarship program.

Tickets are $10 for seniors, $12 for adults, $5 for children and children under age 6 will be admitted for free. Tickets will be available at the door. For advance tickets, stop at the church office or rectory or call 926-8609 or 474-5507.

Portsmouth's Summer in the Street will kick off the season Saturday with performances by Salt River and Roundhouse from 5:30 to 9 p.m., weather permitting.

The series is put on by Pro Portsmouth and will feature an eclectic offering of musical performances, including blues, jazz, folk, traditional tunes of New England and more on Saturdays to Aug. 4.

Pleasant Street from Porter Street to Market Square will be closed the day of each event from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Traffic and parking on that section of Pleasant Street will be prohibited. Information is available at www.proportsmouth.org.

All performances take place on pedestrian-friendly Pleasant Street, so bring your own chair and a nosh and a beverage. No alcohol is permitted.

Raymond's parade will begin at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday with an hour-long parade down Epping Street from the Route 27 intersection, past the Town Common and ending at the old tannery property on Wight Street, Raymond. Featured performers include the Iber Homes Gove Middle School Band and the N.H. School of Scottish Arts Pipe and Drum Band. Several floats, fire trucks from area towns, horses and antique vehicles and several contingents of walkers will march.

Patriotic ceremonies will feature a live vocal performance, VFW/American Legion ceremony and salute to veterans and those currently serving in the armed forces. Following the ceremonies, there will be free food and music by a disc jockey. There will also be free crafts and games for kids, bounce houses and a rock-climbing wall for teens.

In addition, the Red Cross Bloodmobile will be collecting blood at the Town Common from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. T-shirts will be given to all donors.

Strawbery Banke really gears up for its 4th of July celebration. The event draws thousands each year and will feature a children's bike and wagon parade, a kids' treasure hunt, carriage rides, music and re-enactments from noon to 5 p.m. The historic houses and gardens will be open for tours. And Abraham Lincoln will deliver an oratory on the importance of freedom from the steps of the Goodwin Mansion. The 1st N.H. Regiment Revolutionary Soldiers will drill with muskets and re-enact the life of a Colonial soldier under Gen. George Washington. Kites Over New England's members will demonstrate their flying abilities in Prescott Park with stunt kites and giant kites. And kids can fly their kites over the Piscataqua as well.

Adults pay $7.50, which is half the regular admission, and children are admitted for free. Visitors are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs to settle in for a day of old-fashioned family fun. For information, visit www.strawberybanke.org.

Seacoast Science Center will begin its Music-by-the-Sea summer concert series Thursday, July 5. It will continue every Thursday evening until Aug. 9.

Jumbo Circus Peanuts will be the first performer. Freshly grilled dinner available for purchase; bring lawn chairs and blankets.

All concerts are held on the lawn, rain or shine, and begin at 6 p.m. Gates open at 5 p.m. for dining. Tickets are $8 for adults and $2 for children ages 3-12; children under age 3 are admitted free. For information, visit www.seacoastsciencecenter.org.

Community Editor Sandra Bradley is always on the look out for tips and photos of fun things to do. E-mail her at community@seacoastonline.com

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